Satsuma incorporation heading to a vote

SATSUMA - A group of residents collected enough signatures on a petition to put the incorporation of Satsuma to a vote.

The Livingston Parish Registrar of Voters verified more than enough signatures Monday. The group needed to collect 256 signatures of the 1,023 registered voters in the area. Some residents want to incorporate to fight commercialization to keep their community "country."

"We all know that's coming. We all know we live close to the Interstate," said Lynette Taylor. "We're on one of the four corridors of it, and development is going to come. There are people out here who I'm sure don't want it in their backyard."

Taylor says she's for progress but wants contractors to respect residents and do things the right way.

"What I'd like is for it to give us as citizens of our parish more clout and standing to help contractors be more accountable," she said.

In July, the group called "Save Satsuma" gave up on the petition to incorporate Satsuma as a town after they say the opposition spread misinformation. Then a group of citizens banded together and collected the remaining signatures.

"My hope is that it will help the citizens who want to stop progress for the right reasons, not for the sake of stopping progress, but to handle it professionally like it would be done in a major city," said Taylor.